Snowmobile safety officers resigning in droves

Saultites won't be seeing much of a new crest for Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol (STOP) officers, says Rick MacLeod, former local coordinator for the program.

There are no fully qualified STOP officers left in Sault Ste. Marie, MacLeod tells SooToday.com

"I was the Sault Ste. Marie area coordinator of STOP, until a couple of months ago, when myself and all seven other Sault Ste. Marie STOP officers quit," MacLeod says.

The only representation STOP has left in the Sault is one probational trainee on the trails.

In fact, says MacLeod, STOP officers are quitting in droves all across the province.

"Basically, STOP officers have the authority to get cold on the trails," he says. "STOP no longer has authority on roads, lakes, school or park properties, or anywhere 31 meters or more from an OFSC trail unless with police."

Macleod says the OPP had a problem with STOP doing the same job as the OPP, but for free, and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) mainly wanted the STOP officers to make sure everyone on the trails had trail passes.

So the OPP changed the jurisdiction of STOP officers to within 30 meters of the trail.

They removed STOP officers' authority to arrest for fail to identify.

They removed STOP officers' authority to speed to catch a speeder.

They removed STOP officers' badges.

"If someone sees STOP, and rides 31 meters off the trail, STOP officers are not allowed to deal with them," says MacLeod. "Most accidents, and snowmobile deaths happen off the trail."

Earlier this week, with considerable fanfare, the OPP and OFSC unveiled a new STOP logo in Orillia.

But as Snowmobile Safety Week got underway in Ontario, there were a lot fewer STOP officers on the trails than there were at this time last year, says MacLeod.

MacLeod says 58 STOP officers have quit in recent months, leaving 75 STOP officers currently volunteering province-wide.

Sault Ste Marie has lost eight officers, with a combined 97 years of volunteer snowmobile enforcement, says MacLeod.

These officers used their own snowmobiles and they paid for their gas, maintenance, and trail pass purchases themselves, he said.

Further SooToday.com coverage of this story

Snowmobile federation disputes Rick MacLeod's facts